A pitfall (besides fear) in sales is lack of energy – indifference, disinclination. Lack of energy is lack of integrity. A person of great integrity is capable of enduring great hardship, and is therefore worthy of great reward. Integrity means hard work, it means head work, it means success.
Weak people get cold feet, and cold feet make weak people. The sad thing is they could and would have succeeded if they had but known and paid the price. Most of the failures would have been successes if there were just a little more grit and patience and wide-awake zeal, a little more integrity, a little more perseverance. Nothing is ever saved or gained or accomplished by turning back.
It is a sad sight to see a person turn back when he is in over his shoe tops. If you plan to pass the creek, go across even if there is a yard or so that seems a little deep. You can swim a little if necessary, and when you are through the deepest it gets shallower all the time. Don’t turn back. When you do, you are not only disappointed tremendously and your friends taunt you with “I told you so,” but you are soaking wet. Get across. Deny everything but success.
Difficulties will make a path for your feet; and if you mean it, obstacles will flee on your approach. The turbulent waters of fear will be divided and will become a wall on your right hand and on your left, and you shall march through on dry land. It is staying with it until the last second of the last minute that wins the game. Every salesperson carries the price of success within himself.
The majority of salespeople could immortalize themselves if they would appropriate the earnestness of any great business builder. No one needs to go into the selling business to try it. It has already been tried. You need to try yourself; and if you don’t make it go at first, make yourself make it go. Mix hard work, intelligence, and enthusiasm together, and if taken in sufficient quantities you will succeed.
Never wait, but hustle. You can do more business by trying than by not trying.
There are two classes of salespeople who lose time – the one because business is too good and the other because business isn’t good enough. The salesperson who does more business than he expects thinks he can afford to take a day off. The one who doesn’t do as much as he expects gets a little blue and concludes that he will go to his office and work harder so that he won’t waste time and opportunities. When he goes to his office, he thinks of but one thing, the dark side of his business. Instead of being lifted up and enthused, he gets bluer and bluer, and often gives up on cold calling and prospecting.
Better stay focused. Work will overcome the blues. Keep the blood circulating. Keeping everlastingly at it brings success; waiting until you feel more like it brings failure. The steady worker is the better person, because keeping constantly at it develops brilliancy. Brilliancy and hard work make the genius.
Take advantage of every opportunity. Defeat for some is opportunity for others. Don’t judge your work by one sale or by one day or by one week. Judge it as a whole. Judge it by the month and by the quarter.
When a person fails it is because of an unconscious preparation for failure. It is thinking over what may happen. Things may seem a little dark occasionally, but when you take the blues home with you it will be dark all the time. Fear not, doubt not, linger not on the ragged edge of failure.
Physical exercise is necessary. Take a run through the woods. Get into the sunshine. Get up in the morning and hear the birds sing. Become active mentally and physically. When you are blue, your brain, so to speak, is covered with a thick scum like that of a stagnant pool. Turn on the thought currents, and this dark scum will disappear.
Read something that will electrify you with new hope. Do anything but reflect. Don’t sympathize with yourself or ask sympathy from others, and don’t tell your troubles to others.
There is only one thing that is worse than not getting sales, and that is everlastingly finding fault. See the good. Get encouragement and orders.
